Origin of the Shadows
by JubilantSape
Summary: No evil villain starts off evil, so I challenge to you to open your mind and learn the story of the Shadow Man.
1. The Comfort of the Bayou

**Disclaimer**: Unfortunately, Disney owns all rights to the Princess and the Frog characters.

...

**Chapter 1**

The Comfort of the Bayou

by Sape

Clovis Facilier's name was no longer his. It belongs to those we dare not speak of. Thus all who wish to converse with him must address him as the Shadow Man.

Shadow Man ran straight to the bayou to escape the wrath that was growing within him. _It's done. There's no turning back!_ His thoughts pounded against his chest as he tracked through the muddy path that led to his sanity.

The bayou usually served as the necessary remedy to cover up his pain. One look at the royal irises against the chocolate tree bark truly made him feel the way a young man should…content. Head hanging low, Shadow Man continued to walk around the swampy perimeter of crocodile's territory, each step becoming heavier and heavier until he reached the majestic tree, Maple.

To the untrained eye, Maple was a plain old tree since she was deprived of green leaves, bright colored birds, and huggable bark. But to the locals, Maple was the most striking amongst her peers. The tree's piercing gray tips served as a stunning contrast from the ordinary lime leafs. Her stringy long branches transformed her trunk into a preferable spot to cool off from the Louisiana sun. Most importantly, Maple was filled with memories. Shadow Man just sat against the rough tree bark and closed his eyes to reminisce back into his childhood.

As a baby, his mother always placed him next to her heart in a thick cloth that she tied across her shoulders. With one hand securing him, and the other caressing the bark, his mother sang a chorus of random notes that filled the air with serenity. Shadow Man's shut eyes tighten. He tried desperately to remember that heavily tune. His thoughts soon lead him to a vague memory of his mother stepping onto a bus to Mississippi. Her last words were, _Son, be good for auntie Louis._ Then his memory went blank, but he could still feel his mother's spirit in Maple.

Suddenly, Shadow Man heard a faint noise behind him. _Swish, Swish_! It got much louder. Frightened, he was forced to open his eyes just to be greeted by a band of disfigured shadows.


	2. The Master Manipulators

Disclaimer: Disney owns the rights to Shadow Man's character

Chapter Two:

**The Master Manipulators**

by Sape

Shadow Man stood up tall against those who towered over him. As he stood up, the three black shadows doubled in size. His knees buckled, which revealed his submission. The faceless shadows laughed at the sight and a large gust of wind blew over them. They were silently shape-shifting into awkward positions, and Shadow Man just watch with curious eyes. Now the three shadows looked almost human.

Actually, they may be too odd and too beautiful to be called human. The tallest, had long black hair that hover around his pale skin with piercing gold eyes that compliment his malevolent smile. The female's hair was long as well, but her silky brown curls shifted softly against the wind. And when she smiled, she produced a more genuine and peaceful energy. Shadow Man could not help but gazed into her emerald green eyes, which glistened against her rich mahogany skin. But the last man did not smile at all. Actually his face was buried under his messy silver hair. Shadow Man tried to focus on the least intimidating shadow, and she approached him.

"Call me Nateriah, young Clovis Facilier," stated the female in a vivacious manner. Then he held out her petite hand, and Shadow Man automatically reached out and kissed her knuckles to reveal his Southern Hospitality. She continued, "So you wish for things to turn back to the way they were? You want to see your mother once more? No! Permanently? Is that all you want?

Shadow Man shook his head slightly. The three non-humans just stared. Then Shadow Man added, "Yes! That's all I want." Nateriah then laid her hand against his cheek and flashed her heavily smile once more. The black hair man scowled and tapped his foot on the ground as if he was waiting impatiently for something. He's had no patience left.

"Step back, Nateriah. Let me handle this." Nateriah expression did not change. She just returned to her original spot and rested her head on the silver-haired man's shoulder. The silver-hair gentleman suddenly lifted his arm to embrace her, He murmured something too, but Shadow Man couldn't quite make it out. Shadow was too distracted by the black-haired man who stood only a few inches in front of him.

"To you, I am Axis and he is Syrius. We are your new friends, you see. Any wish you posses, we will grant. You will see your mother again, but don't you want more than that? You must remember you don't have very much. If your mother comes here, you will may not be able to stay with her. You must think bigger. You must think long term. You don't just want to see your mother once. You want to be rich. You want to be rich so you can stay with your mother forever, don't you?" Axis spoke proud and self-assured.

Shadow Man took a moment to really analyze Axis's argument. He studied the words he spoke as if they were written on the moist sand. He never thought about being rich. He just lived life through his usual routine. But then he thought, if he was rich he can fly both his mother and grandfather back to New Orleans. They would live in a large mansion in the French Quarters. His mother would never have to work again.

"Exactly!" exclaimed Axis. Shadow Man's eyes widen in horror. Axis was reading his thoughts. Shadow Man backed up against old Maple and placed his arms around the bark for comfort.

"Now you step back," commanded Nateriah. When Axis marched into the muddy waters of the river, Shadow relaxed a little. Sensing his claim disposition, Nateriah continued to speak.

"How about it, young Facilier? Do you wish for fortune?" She questioned softly just like his mother would.

"Yes!" Shadow Man boldly answered. "Grant me that wish."


	3. Peaceful Malevolence

**Disclaimer**: You all know the drill

Note: Sorry to say, but this is a filler chapter because I need to do some research about Cajun/French cuisine for the next chapter.

Chapter 3:

**Peaceful Malevolence**

As the words he wanted to hear swam through his ears, Axis tilted his head to the sky to mask his wicked expression. After years of painful mistakes and fruitless gains, he finally built the last piece to the puzzle. _It's time_! When Axis managed to reduce the curves of his lips to a welcoming display, he quickly whipped around to face his new master.

Shadow Man was flattering Nateriah with his new desires. He managed to draw a large square in the thick mud with Nateriah kneeling in the top left corner of the picture. She was greatly amused by the poorly drawn box for she thought being his place marker would help her picture what he had stored in his imagination. She continued to nod and stare through glistening green eyes as Shadow Man rambled on about delicious food, bright colors, and wide spaces. Even the quiet Sirius was attracted to his descriptive chit-chat . Sirius slowly waltz over to Nateriah and heavily dropped his knees behind her. He pushed back some of messy hair to reveal his dull violet eyes peaking at the creation in the ground.

"Next to you Miss Nateriah is going to be my momma's room. She has to have her own room with a large window next to a garden. She loves trees. We would have to make another Maple here." He made deformed circle next to Sirius. Sirius simply smiled at the sight. Then Shadow Man paused. He took another look at the jagged, gray trunk that rested behind him. "Yes! There definitely has to be trees in the garden." So Shadow Man drew several little sticks with cotton ball shapes on top of them.

Axis couldn't help but listen to the passionate imagination that boiled within his master. Through not will of his own, Axis also saw his words form pictures in his own mind as his continued to list the vivid demands he held for him and his peers. Axis grew envious and he even transformed in to subtle anger, so he marched up to his three partners and stood stiffly before them. Nateriah immediate sensed his conflicted emotions.

"Oh, right!" Nateriah said with child-like enthusiasm. "Young Facilier, we must act fast to turn these desires into concrete experiences. Let's head to the French Quarters now. There we can visit your new house." Before Shadow Man could react, Nateriah began to braid her hair to distract him. Suddenly her head shook violently. Axis and Sirius upper half did the same.

Shadows slithered out of the eyes and mouth of all three of their bodies. Their outer skins laid lifeless on the mud. The shadows once again towered over Shadow Man, and then they tilted down to scoop up their skins. In a flash they stuffed their skins in a large hole at the upper half of their translucent bodies. Surprisingly, Shadow Man remained calm at the unnatural sight. The non-human looking Axis, Nateriah, and Sirius laughed at their new friend, and snatch him to head to their first destination.


End file.
